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We hope you are able to attend the Joint Committee on Education Legislative Hearing on Wednesday, September 16 on bills related to early education and care including An Act Ensuring High-Quality Pre-Kindergarten Education (H.462 / S. 267.) This bill builds upon the Commonwealth's strong policy foundation for early education and provides a targeted, phased-in plan for providing state funded pre-kindergarten to preschool aged children (2.9 5 years-old), through a mixed delivery system with prioritization based on school district accountability status and rates of third grade reading proficiency.

This legislation has been filed to help close the achievement gap and level the playing field to ensure that all Massachusetts children have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life. Massachusetts has a significant and persistent achievement gap, evident long before children enter school. Too many children show up for school already behind and too many of them will never catch up. Experts agree that high-quality Pre-K has a short- and long-term impact on young children's educational, social and health outcomes. Preventing problems now, rather than remediating them later, is a cost-effective investment that benefits children and taxpayers alike.

I hope you will support this critical legislation. Thank you for your leadership.